RPF Inkotanyi presidential candidate Paul Kagame, on June 30, said that the country's development should be done with speed, noting that it is about doing things excellently.
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He told a big crowd in Karongi district gathered at Mbwoni site, the last campaign rally in Western Province of Rwanda as the party and its allies move to canvass votes in the upcoming elections.
In the presidential elections set for July 14-15, Kagame will compete with former lawmaker Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda, and Philippe Mpayimana, an independent candidate.
Kagame said that there is always something to start from in building the country, pointing out that everyone is born with certain capabilities such as knowledge or strength.
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He added that good leadership is embodied in the set of principles of RPF and its eight allied political parties which aim to take the country to greater heights of development.
"Good leadership means that a Rwandan citizen is able to receive all that they deserve. In that leadership, there are no leaders that take what is supposed to be the citizens' and own it, we are against that and so should you be," he told the residents.
Taking note of various infrastructure gains in Karongi District including the floating Queen Kivu Uburanga hotel, Kagame said that the party seeks to have more of them and others such as roads, schools, and hospitals.
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"We want an increased movement of tourists and businesspeople between the districts. We don't want just to work but do it with excellence," he said, adding that on July 15, they should make a choice about the continuity of development but with speed.
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Valentine Mukase, Mayor of Karongi District, reflected on major milestones achieved over the past seven years under the leadership of RPF, stating access to electricity currently at 70 percent coverage, clean water at 85 percent, and improved settlement, the production of methane gas, increased tea production and more job creation, among others.
However, she added that the district has pending infrastructure development including road construction projects, something Kagame said needs to be quickly followed upon.
Under its manifesto for the next five years (2024-2029), RPF seeks to increase agricultural and livestock productivity by 8 percent annually, manufacturing productivity by 13 percent annually, and create 250,000 new jobs annually.
It will construct and rehabilitate 1, 091-kilometer roads and 1,626-kilometer feeder roads, build three ports on Lake Kivu in Rusizi, Karongi, and Rutsiro districts, and advance technology adoption, especially enhancing the use of Artificial Intelligence, among others.
The ruling party also aims to continue positioning Rwanda as an investment destination and financial hub, increase tourism revenue to $1.1 billion in 2029 from $620 million in 2024, spur mineral revenue growth to $1.8 billion in 2029 from $1.1 billion in 2023, as well as improve green financing.
